The most exciting decentralised apps in 2018

2018 is the year of the decentralised app (ÐApp). The rise of blockchain means anyone can publish an app nowadays, without needing to go through the App Store or Google Play. And plenty of people have.

There are already more than 1,800 ÐApps based in ethereum alone, and other smart-contract platforms have launched their main-net this year such as EOS - so we'll see more ÐApps coming from more platforms.

We're seeing ÐApp stores such as app.co come about, with category tags like "social impact" and scalability solutions for different blockchains are getting closer to actualising - so as much as the market has been correcting for what feels like forever, the space is really picking up.

Here are four of the best ÐApps in terms of active users.

The CryptoKitties peer-to-peer network

You know how cats are the most popular thing on the net? Well, CryptoKitties proves that the same applies to the crypto market.

One of the most popular peer-to-peer network games to hit the blockchain, CryptoKitties lets you buy, breed, and trade virtual cats. Its legend was cemented when CryptoKitty trading almost brought down the ethereum network, in December 2017.

The IDEX crypto market

While bitcoin trading still commands the most attention among crypto fans, for those looking to diversify away from BTC,IDEX is the perfect exchange.
Designed for ethereum ERC-20 token trading, IDEX is as fast as a centralised system but has all the security of blockchain settlements.

You can use it trade established cryptocurrencies – such as OmiseGO, Basic Attention Token, and Augur. However, it doesn’t support non-ERC-20 tokens such as Litecoin or Ripple.

The Zethr exchange

If you enjoy gambling but don’t like losing, then you should try Zethr – a decentralised gaming and casino platform where you can be the house.

Unlike other gaming tokens, Zethr’s ethereum-based ZTH token can be sold back at the price it achieved in the company’s initial coin offering, giving investors and players a guaranteed floor.
Zethr also allows token holders to choose between seven dividend rates, from 2 percent to 33 percent, via dividend cards that contribute to the house bankroll.

The Ethereum Name Service decentralised app

The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is one of those apps that shines for its simplicity. Blockchain addresses are long and complex, which makes them hard to write or copy. But ENS turns them into names you can remember easily.

You could name your wallet ‘liven.buymecoffee.eth’ and not have to worry about handing out a hexadecimal address every time you want to take a payment.

Names are issued via an auction process, and don’t have to be restricted to assets on the blockchain. ENS comes with resources including a bids and auctions dashboard, and lookup tool for domains and auctions.